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SERMON 12 A Second on Lent 1 ince we see that the springtime of the fast and the season of spiritual warfare have arrived, as soldiers of Christ, after ridding ourselves of any listlessness of body and soul, let us set forth to the field of the virtues, so that the limbs that have been softened by the leisure of the winter may be strengthened by the military training2 of heaven. We have given a year to our body, let us give some days to our soul. We have spent time and time again on ourselves; let us devote a portion of time to the Creator; let us who have lived entirely for the world live for a little while for God. Let us put to the side our concerns at home and remain in the camp of the Church; let us keep vigil in the battle line of Christ and not seek the slumber of our beds. Let us join ourselves to the valiant and be far from embraces; may the love of victories hold us fast, may the coaxing of children not summon us, may the voice of God resound in our ears, and the din of our family not disturb our hearing. May a sparse amount of food be consumed from the rations of heaven, may an abundance of earthly excess not be sought, may our drinking be measured in cups of sobriety, and drunkenness not weaken our strength. Concerning our pay, let the poor person, our fellow soldier, receive whatever excess there is; let there be no deadly extravagance to cause any devastation. In time of conflict whoever has fed the hungry and enfeebled will receive help himself. 57 1. Mt 4.1–11. The extended title is reconstructed from Sermon 11 (see CCL 24.72). Because of the references in Sermons 12 and 13 to the temptation of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, it is likely that Chrysologus delivered them on the first Sunday of Lent. See F. Sottocornola, L’anno liturgico, 64, 67, and 200. 2. In March, coterminous with Lent, military exercises began again after being suspended all winter. See 2 Sm 11.1 and F. Sottocornola, L’anno liturgico, 210. 2. Thus fortified, brothers, thus prepared, let us declare war on our sins, let us undertake the battle against our offenses, let us announce our engagement against our vices, being sure of victory since no earthly enemy will be able to conquer heavenly arms, no worldly adversary will be able to withstand the Divine King, and no sudden assault will be able to overcome those who are firm in faith and ready for combat. The devil will not succeed with his surprise attacks in throwing the careful, the vigilant, and the sober into confusion. Certainly not daring to contend in open warfare with us who have been armed in such a way, may he not attempt to attack us with trickery, but may our mind persevere in gazing heavenward, so that it may crush and deflect the deceitful snares of the devil and the hidden snares of the flesh. 3. Certainly on his own the devil is wicked; nevertheless, he becomes more so when he is called forth. Listen to the apostle when he says: “The devil like a roaring lion goes about in search of someone to devour.”3 The devil starves while we fast since he always gorges himself on our failings. He brings our eating to the point of gluttony and extends our drinking to intoxication , so that he might make our mind mindless and render our flesh besmirched; so that our body, which is the abode of our mind, the vessel of our soul, the protection of our spirit, the school of the virtues, and the temple of God, he might reduce to a stage show of wickedness, a public spectacle of vice, and a theater of pleasure. He feels full, he experiences pleasure, he is glutted with feasting when superfluousness slackens us, lust excites us, extravagance seizes us, ambition drives us, anger agitates us, fury swells us, envy enkindles us, desire inflames us, cares disturb us, quarrels vex us, greed overtakes us, business profits constrain us, obligations bind us, money bags weigh us down, gold crushes us; when the virtues die, the vices live, pleasure overflows, honor vanishes, mercy is scarce, avarice abounds, confusion reigns, order is vanquished, and discipline is overthrown. These are the things, yes...

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